


you’re the one I want for life

by Sumi



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-21
Updated: 2019-05-21
Packaged: 2020-02-09 12:53:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,547
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18638521
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sumi/pseuds/Sumi
Summary: The look of disapproval in the healer's eyes didn't go unnoticed by Herah. She understood the reluctance on their part, but as she saw it there was little choice.





	you’re the one I want for life

**Author's Note:**

  * For [](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts).



The look of disapproval in the healer's eyes didn't go unnoticed by Herah. She understood the reluctance on their part, but as she saw it there was little choice. Corypheus would descend on Skyhold in a matter of days and as Inquisitor-- more so because of the anchor- she had to be at the forefront of that fight.

Herah didn't have the luxury of waiting to recuperate from the fight with Samson. The healer must've known this for have only shook her head. A vial of what Herah assumed to be elfroot was quickly thrust into her hands.

She drank it without complaint. It tasted stronger than the usual elfroot potions given out. The fault lay on the egregious gut wound Herah was struggling to recover from. No doubt she survived because of her own magic and having Dorian in her party.

“Inquisitor, you need to take extra care,” the healer warned. “Your stomach wound is still tender. The sutures won't hold if you take direct impact.”

Herah shrugged and swung her legs over the side of the bed. “I'll try, but don't expect Corypheus to go easy on me because I need to rest. He isn't a guy you can try to appeal to for sympathy.”

The sigh of annoyance was enough to rival Cassandra's. Back in Haven, the Seeker commented that history would remember Herah as a funny Qunari. It was enough to make her chuckle until the healer narrowed her eyes. Inquisitor or not, Herah wasn't above getting a nonverbal lashing.

Once Herah was alone, she attempted to stand up from the bed. Her wound ached in protest, but Herah pushed through the pain with one hand wrapped around her stomach. The confrontation with Corypheus couldn’t be pushed back any further. It was as simple as that. She knew her advisors, while concerned for her well being, would also agree.

Eventually she managed to make her way to the stairs. Herah felt faint and was sweating, but at least she accomplished it. She leaned heavily against the banister and struggled to get her breathing under control. The healer might have had a point after all.

“You have to stop. You’re still hurt. I want to take away the pain, but I can't.” 

Cole's panicked voice came out of nowhere. It was no different from how it usually was, but this time Herah wasn't in the mood.

She sighed. “Cole, I'm the Inquisitor. I can't afford to stop.”

When Herah didn't hear anything else from Cole, she assumed it was the end of it. She took a shaky breath and tried to focus on making it down the first flight of stairs. It took awhile but Herah did manage to accomplish her goal.

The door then swung open to reveal a very irritated and concerned looking Cullen. Herah paused, mind recalling how quickly Cole vanished from her quarters. Even for Cole it was unusually quick… and now she knew why. The damned spirit ratted her out to her advisors.

“Commander to what do I owe this sudden visit?” Herah asked as casually as she could despite the pain coursing through her body.

The fact that Herah was speaking through gritted teeth was probably the best giveaway something was wrong. Besides, Cullen wasn't a man easily fooled. Except when it came to matters of the heart. 

It took the dear Commander sometime to catch on to the fact that Herah had been flirting shamelessly with him for weeks at Haven. When it finally did, he let her down with a stammering apology. Of course, Herah continued to mildly flirt with Cullen. 

The man was easily flustered. Herah enjoyed the sight of the flush spreading across his cheeks. Sometimes, it even went down all the way to his neck only to disappear into that ridiculous fur collar lining Cullen's coat.

This time, however, was gone the easily flustered Cullen Rutherford. He had been replaced by a frustrated looking man pinching the bridge of his nose in what Herah imagined was frustration.

“A certain spirit boy came to my office and informed me of your intention to completely disregard the healers advice,” Cullen said, a deep frown marring his handsome features. "Inquisitor we all understand the greater threat on Thedas, but it is dangerous to ignore the healing process. It is important you take a few days to recover."

Herah sighed. "And what if Corypheus decides to make the first move?"

"The research leads us to believe he will wait until the Inquisition attacks first--"

"It's all speculation!" She argued. "Better to attack early than be unprepared for a surprise attack."

It seemed this was the comment that broke Cullen's self control. He took a step forward, his fists tightly clenched. "You are not indispensable to the Inquisition and especially not to me!"

For once in her life, Herah was at a loss for words. She couldn't even string together a clever retort. If Varric ever found out, he'd be surely disappointed in her.

The silence seemed to sober Cullen up. “I-Inquisitor, I am sorry for that outburst. I don’t know what came over me.”

“Cullen given the circumstances, I think it’s okay for you to call me, Herah. Maker knows we’ve known each other long enough” she offered in an attempt to lighten the situation.

“Inquisitor… Herah I--”

She saw he was floundering and decided to interrupt. “Perhaps we can push off the confrontation for a day, two,... or three. Until I can fight properly, at least. So I shall return to getting some rest and I’ll speak to you later, Commander.”

Herah turned tail and hobbled back to her bed as quickly as she could. It was only after hearing the retreating footsteps followed by the door closing did she calm down. The words Cullen spoke had shaken her. 

For a moment, Herah foolishly hoped perhaps the dear Commander did indeed hold feelings for Herah despite his rejection back in Haven. The way he reacted and spoke to Herah certainly implied there was something there. Wishful thinking was probably all it was. Besides, Herah had more important things to worry about. Such as Corypheus and this damned gut wound currently preventing her from doing anything about it.

It took two hours for Herah to feel like she made a mistake in promising Cullen to hold back on the final attack. Herah, however, begrudgingly knew he and the rest of the advisors were trying to look out for her best interest. Still, their last conversation left Herah feeling troubled.

“He paces back and forth-- unsure if he should go in. Does she want to see me? What if she’s angry? I don’t want to make it worse.”

Cole’s voice caused Herah to jerk forward in surprise. She hissed at the sudden surge in pain that ran through her body. “Cole I appreciate the help, but next time try knocking.”

“But I came in through the wall,” he said before appearing just a few feet in front of her.

The corner of her mouth quirked upwards. “You can knock on the closest surface if you don’t come in through the door.”

He lingered until Herah was able to stand up and make her way towards the stairs. She watched Cole vanish with a shake of her head, but not without a silent reminder to thank him. No matter what, Cole would always try to help. Herah appreciated that about him.

Herah took a moment to glance down the stairs. The wound was still aching and the idea of walking down all those stairs didn’t appeal to her. Even with the Commander waiting outside the door.

“Commander-- Cullen, you have my enthusiastic permission to enter.”

A second later the door opened and Cullen appeared, a flustered expression on his face. “Ah, hello Inquisitor. I hope my… pacing wasn’t disturbing you. I was simply hoping to speak with you about earlier.”

“You didn’t disturb me, Commander. Cole informed me you were outside the door,” Herah explained, a small grin appearing on her face when Cullen sighed and shook his head.

Herah sat down in the nearest seat while Cullen slowly made his way up into her quarters. The two were closer in height with her sitting down. She saw Cullen’s hesitancy to speak and felt similar. However, Herah refused to let it go unsaid any longer.

When Cullen opened his mouth to speak, Herah held up her hand to interrupt. “Commander--- Cullen, I want you to know that there is no apology necessary for your outburst before. I do need to be aware of my own mortality and consider those close to me.”

He blinked slowly, the flush spreading. “I was still out of line, Inquisitor.”

“You called me Herah before, you know,” she said, purposely changing the subject. “I’ve been trying to get you to call me by my name for since the early days in Skyhold.”

Perhaps it was the words spoken or nothing more than a sudden surge of impulsiveness, but whatever it was, spurred Cullen to step forward and capture her lips in a kiss. Herah fisted her hand in that damned fur cloak of Cullen’s in case his nerves got the best of him. She wasn’t going to let him leave-- not this time, anyway.


End file.
